Skateboards in many different designs have developed since introduction of the basic skateboard configuration. In the basic configuration, the skateboard comprises a deck having on its lower side front and rear truck assemblies, each of which supports opposite pairs of wheels on a transversely extending axle. The axles are mounted for pivotal movement about axes which extend at an obtuse angle to the plane of the skateboard deck and usually, the pivot axes of the axles of the front and rear truck assemblies are of an opposite inclination. Skateboard are therefore able to be steered by the rider leaning or shifting his or her weight to one side or other of the skateboard board thereby pivoting the deck in opposite directions relative to the longitudinal axis of the skateboard, this causing fore and aft pivotal movement of the truck axles in opposite directions. Usually the skateboard truck assemblies incorporate resilient pads which resist pivoting of the axle of the wheels and tend to return the axle and wheels to a neutral position.
More recently longboard skateboards have been introduced which include a deck of extended length. Skateboards of this type also incorporate truck assemblies however some difficulties are associated with steering of this type of board and maintaining their stability if conventional truck assemblies are used. It is also desirable to the enable adjustment of the steering characteristics of this type of skateboard to suit different applications. For this purpose it has been known to place an angled or wedge-shaped packer between the skateboard truck assembly and the underside of the skateboard deck to adjust the pivot axis of the truck assembly axle. This procedure however is obviously time-consuming as it involves removal of the truck assembly and then reassembling with the use of the angled packer between the truck assembly and board. A further disadvantage is that each time a different angle is required for the plane of operation of the axles of the skateboard wheels, a packer of a different angle is required.
Other truck assemblies have means for varying the type or characteristics of the resilient pads used to resist pivotal movement of the truck wheel axles such that for example a greater or lesser weight is required to be applied to one side or other of the skateboard deck obtain the same steering movement of the skateboard truck assemblies. These types of truck assemblies however have disadvantages as steering then becomes dependent on the weight applied and as a result control is compromised.